Indicator



June 17 1924. 1,498,419

I L. G. BALMER INDI CATOR Filed Oct. 13. 1923 alforney.

Patented June 17, 1924.

rat-as arcane INDICATOR.

Application filed October 13, 1923. Serial No. 658,416.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. LESLIE G. BALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in indicators and has particular reference to a device adapted to be attached to a telephone bell for the purpose of indicating to a party that a telephone call has been made during the partys absence.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a simply constructed device which can be readily attached to a telephone bell without altering the construction of the telephone mechanism.

Another object is to provide an extremely sensitive washer adapted to be actuated by the vibration caused by the ringing of the bell to indicate that the phone bell has bee rung. I

A still further object is to produce a device which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, positive in operation and highly efficient in use.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device constructed in accordance with my invention, and i Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a telephone bell showing the device in elevation applied to the bell.

It has been the experience of certain individuals and especially those who reside in hotels. that important phone calls have been made during their absence from the room and each individual has no way of definitely ascertaining if an expected call has been made. This uncertainty results in a great loss of time to the party expecting the call, and I have therefore provided means that will positively indicate whether or not the call has been made during the individuals absence.

I have accordingly, provided broadly an efficiently constructed device whereby a part of the mechanism will be actuated by the vibration caused by the ringing of the bell and thus indicate that the expected call has been made.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 3 designates a telephone bell mount ed upon the usual standard 4 and provided with a gong or clapper 5.

To the edge of this bell. I propose to secure one end of my indicating device. This indicating device embodies in its construction a horizontally disposed rod 6 which is positioned at right angles to the standard of the bell and is secured to the bell itself by a substantially U-shaped member 7,

provided with a threaded opening 8 therein,

through which a set-screw 9 is manually moved.

This U-shaped member has formed on the end opposite to the set-screw, a collar 10 which receives therein the rod 6. The numeral 11 designates a sleeve positioned on the free extremity of the rod 6 and serves as a stop for preventing loss of a washer 12 which encircles the rod and is the indicating medium for determining that the call has been made.

It will be evident from this construction, that when the bell rings the vibration caused by the ringing will in turn cause the washer 12 to move from its dotted line position as disclosed in Figure 2, to its full line position,

Thus a party having absented himself from the room can ascertain upon his return if a call has been made by virtue of the movement of the washer in the direction of the arrow along the surface of the rod 6.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes .in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may. be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In combination with a telephone bell of means carried thereby and adapted to be actuated by the vibration of the bell to indicate that the bell has been ringing.

2. In a device of the character described comprising a horizontallv disposed rod connected at one end to a telephone bell, and indicating means carried by the rod and adapted to be actuated by the vibration of the bell, for the purpose described.

3. In a device of the character described comprising a horizontal rod, means carried by one end of said rod forconneeting the latter to a telephone belha stop formed on the opposite end of said rod and an indicating device positioned on said rod and adapted to move longitudinally thereon by the vibration of the hell.

4. In a device of the character described comprising a horizontal rod, means carried by one end of said rod for connecting the latter to a telephone bell, a stop formed on the opposite. end. of said. rod, an'indicating device positioned on said rod and adapted to move longitudinallv thereon by the vibration of the bell, said last mentioned means including a circular element encircling the rod.

In testimony hereof I affix my signature.

LESLIE e. BALMER. 

